


The Assistant’s Guide to Akashi Seijuurou

by touougakuen



Series: At All Hours [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Corporate, Alternate Universe - Office, Boss Akashi and Assistant Furihata, CEO Akashi and his naughty hands, Companion Piece, Furihata is a little cinnamon roll in love, M/M, The S in Seijuurou is for $$$
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26925289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/touougakuen/pseuds/touougakuen
Summary: Keeping their relationship a secret at work was proving to be a harder task than Furihata initially thought. Especially when his boyfriend was prone to sneaking kisses and subtle grazes of his hand whenever they were alone – and while Furihata didn’t hate the attention, he sometimes worried how many of those playful touches had truly gone unnoticed.Akashi needs a personal assistant and Furihatahopeshe’s the man for the job. Furihata’s POV of my AkaFuri office AU, Whether Asleep or Awake (I Think of You).
Relationships: Akashi Seijuurou/Furihata Kouki
Series: At All Hours [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1941139
Comments: 14
Kudos: 154





	The Assistant’s Guide to Akashi Seijuurou

**Author's Note:**

> Snippets from Furihata and Akashi’s life as they go from co-workers to lovers. This is a companion piece to my fic, [Whether Asleep or Awake (I Think of You)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26328223/chapters/64113106), and I wrote this with the intention of telling Furihata’s side of the story. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I would recommend reading the original fic for a better understanding of some events!

“Before I go, I trust you’ve already checked your Oha Asa ranking today?”

Akashi’s face stiffened ever so slightly, but enough for Furihata to notice. _Uh oh._ Had he not checked the email Furihata sent him this morning with his horoscope details? Well, he _had_ just returned from back-to-back meetings with shareholders, so there was little time to spare for something so trivial. But if Furihata had learned one thing from his first month as Akashi’s personal assistant, it was that the president made an effort to never appear negligent before his subordinates. It was why he always brushed up on all the nonsensical Oha Asa specifics before his meetings with Midorima, the CFO of their subsidiary company.

Before Akashi could answer him, Furihata dug into his back pocket and retrieved a pack of triple A batteries. He stepped in between the two men and placed it on Akashi’s desk. _It’s a good thing I had time to stop at the conbini this morning_.

“Sagittarius in the bottom half, right?” he said, notebook in his hands opened to a page where he’d scribbled the horoscope earlier on the train. “Since Akashi-san’s rank was pretty low today, he asked me to get his lucky item. Just in case.”

Midorima glanced at the batteries and simply nodded his head, “Very good. Then, I’ll see you in a couple weeks, Akashi.”

“Yes, it’s been a pleasure as always.”

Akashi was already moving to put his coat on just as Midorima stepped out of the office. He had another meeting with the real estate team at some exclusive restaurant Furihata had never heard of. He was still iffy on the details since Akashi normally attended his formal business lunches alone.

Before he left, Akashi picked up the pack of batteries, “When did you prepare this?”

“Oh, uh, th-this morning. I checked your horoscope on my way to work,” Furihata replied. He tried not to look straight at Akashi. There was always this intensity in his eyes, whether he meant it or not, that made it hard for Furihata to look too long. “I had a feeling he might ask about your lucky item when I saw your rank today.”

“That was rather keen of you,” Akashi placed the batteries in the drawer of his desk. Stepping forward, he placed a hand on Furihata’s shoulder. The assistant froze under the touch.

“Good work, Furihata-kun.”

It took a moment for Furihata to gather himself and leave Akashi’s office, well after the red head had already departed. All the while, his mind was stuck on Akashi’s parting words.

_That’s the first time Akashi-san has praised me since I started here._

* * *

Furihata was jotting down the names of the department managers Akashi had introduced him to earlier that day, making something of a hierarchy chart in his notebook. It was a quick and unrefined diagram he’d put together, but it would help him recall who was who at a company as massive as Akashi Enterprises. Not that he’d have much trouble remembering most of the faces he met today; between Aomine and Kagami who were constantly at each other’s throats, and the Marketing manager Kise, who might as well have stepped off a runway, he wasn’t sure who was most memorable.

Although, if he was being honest, he still hadn’t met anyone who’d left an impression quite like Akashi had. Actually, to say that he left just an impression felt like an understatement. Furihata still couldn’t forget the mix of awe and intimidation that bubbled within him the first time he met Akashi. Piercing red eyes and an aura of sovereignty separated him from the likes of most people, prompting an introduction by the assistant that was rattled with nerves. His presence alone was enough to make any encounter with Akashi feel like it was an extraordinary moment, like you’d been granted the privilege of having his time.

From above his desk Furihata heard a whistle, “You sure are a diligent worker.”

“Oh, Moriyama-san,” Furihata had spoken with the man a few times since he joined the company. He was part of the admin team on their floor. “Are you on your break now?”

Moriyama nodded, flaunting a hand that held two small cans of coffee, “Care to join me?”

Furihata peeked through the glass walls that separated his station from Akashi’s office. The president was still sitting at his desk, focused on his laptop. He’d been engrossed in whatever task was at hand for a couple hours now, and it was likely he’d skip his lunch break again today.

“Sorry, I think I’m going to eat at my desk,” Furihata said with a sigh, “I want to be here if Akashi-san needs me for anything.”

Moriyama followed his line of sight and when his eyes fell on Akashi, it looked like a shiver ran through his body, “I don’t know how you do it. Just being in the same room as him freaks me out.”

“Ah, well I guess Akashi-san can be a bit intimidating…”

“Momoi-san before she’s had her coffee on a Monday morning is _intimidating_ ,” he gestured his head to Akashi’s office, “He’s just _scary_.”

After Moriyama took off for lunch, leaving behind one can of coffee on Furihata’s desk, the assistant pulled out his own bento from his backpack. He was halfway through a croquette when he chanced another look at the office behind him. As expected, Akashi was still glued to his laptop. He wondered if he was getting hungry yet. Maybe he should order takeout from the katsu restaurant down the street again. Akashi seemed to like it the last time.

When Furihata’s gaze fixed on the figure beyond the transparent walls, stony and composed in his demeanor, he thought of Moriyama’s words and a frown tugged at his lips.

He didn’t think ‘scary’ was the right way to describe Akashi.

Sure, his first couple weeks at the company had been anything but smooth. His determination not to make a fool of himself had ironically caused him to be even more anxious around the president. A few spilled drinks and a run-in with one of their biggest investors that nearly resulted in a broken nose were enough to convince Furihata he’d be fired at any moment. For a while, he even felt like Akashi was keeping a close eye on him, just waiting for him to slip up and send him packing. But, two months later, he was still here – and not only had he managed to persevere and keep his job, but sometimes, it even seemed as if Akashi _liked_ having him around.

And Akashi had been so patient while Furihata adjusted to his role. He’d never reprimanded him for his clumsiness, and he often took the time to explain company matters, no matter how trivial, to the assistant. Despite his frosty appearance and unyielding attitude towards work, he was actually a kind, and reasonable boss. A complete divergence from the rumours of him running the company like some sort of dictator.

He swiveled back around to his lunch and opened the coffee from Moriyama, taking a slow sip. _Those rumours couldn’t be farther from the truth_. A part of Furihata hoped Akashi hadn’t heard any of the gossip about him. Maybe he had, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t imagine Akashi being riled up by water cooler talk when he had much more pressing concerns – such as being the president of an enormous corporation – to deal with.

But still, the image of Akashi working late into the night, losing sleep and neglecting his meals – all while insisting that Furihata go on home – wasn’t anything close to ‘scary’.

If anything, Furihata thought Akashi seemed kind of lonely.

* * *

When Akashi finally agreed to taking a day off from work, Furihata never imagined he’d be a part of it in any way. And yet, there he was slipping into his assistant role again as he accompanied the president on his errands. But the strangest part was, Furihata didn’t feel like he was working today either. In truth, helping Akashi with a task as mundane as grocery shopping had actually been rather… fun.

“Oh my god, they have an omurice one now,” Furihata grabbed a bag of chips off one of the shelves in the snack aisle. It was a brand he grew up with, he and his older brother often sharing a bag whenever they stopped at the convenience store on the way home from school.

“That’s a peculiar choice of flavouring,” Akashi commented as he parked their shopping cart next to Furihata.

“This brand usually comes out with a lot of weird flavours. They’re kind of hit or miss though,” he made a face when he thought back to the Coca-Cola chips his brother had picked out once. Furihata perused the shelves lined with various flavours, everything from grilled shrimp to mint chocolate. There were a lot more choices now compared to when he was a kid. “Have you tried any of these before?”

Akashi shook his head.

Well, that wasn’t too surprising. He never pegged Akashi as much of a snacker. After all, he didn’t exactly seem like the type to kick back on the couch and devour a bag of chips in one sitting. Furihata had to stifle a laugh when he attempted to conjure the image in his mind.

He gestured to the crammed shelves, “You should try one! Who knows, you might like it. Ah, but just avoid anything that’s supposed to taste like a carbonated drink.”

Akashi seemed to be seriously contemplating his options as he paced along the aisle. A beat, before he turned to Furihata, “What would you recommend then?”

“Hmm, I guess this one isn’t too strange,” Furihata reached for a bag of wakame chips, but his hand recoiled when he saw Akashi grimace.

“I’m not particularly fond of seaweed.”

“Okay, um, how about this?” He pointed towards the next one that caught his eye, a pickled ginger flavour. To his surprise, Akashi was scrunching his face now. He actually looked sulky, like a child at a dinner table resisting the vegetables they didn’t want to eat. One look at the almost-pouting Akashi Seijuurou was enough to make Furihata’s lips curve into a brazen grin.

“Akashi-san, could it be that you’re a picky eater?”

He could’ve sworn he saw the red head’s brow twitch at the accusation, before he swiftly directed his attention elsewhere, breaking eye contact. A subtle hue of pink touched the tips of his ears. “I wouldn’t say I’m picky,” he refuted. “I just have certain aversions.”

“That’s just a fancy way of saying you’re picky,” Furihata said, unconvinced. The glare he received in return only made his grin widen.

Eventually, Furihata found agedashi tofu chips that seemed to fit the other man’s preferences. Akashi was holding the bag in his hands, looking down at it with both intrigue and approval, as they left the snack aisle behind.

Akashi’s next errand took them to an upscale department store that Furihata had been to a couple times in the past, but only to window-shop the goods he could never afford. If the supermarket trip had been Furihata’s way of introducing Akashi to his daily life, then all the designer goods that surrounded him now served as a glimpse into the world Akashi was used to.

It was on their way out when Furihata’s attention was absorbed by the elaborate Christmas display on the main floor, slowing his steps to an eventual stop.

His eyes swept over the snowy hills, entirely manmade, and the crystallized Christmas tree that stood at the center of it all, bright, and sparkling at certain points where the light hit at just the right angle. It reminded Furihata why he loved the holiday so much. He had many fond memories of going to the mall with his family and taking photos by the tree, acting like tourists in a city he lived in his whole life.

As he looked on, several couples taking selfies in front of the diamond tree came into his line of sight; big smiles and rosy cheeks pressed together as they posed before their smartphones. For some reason, the scene made his face fall, and a dull ache crept up in his chest.

He missed having that connection with another person. It’d been so long since he spent the holidays with someone other than family, and a part of him longed for that kind of relationship again.

“Did you perhaps want to take a photo?”

When Furihata took in the red eyes locked onto his, catlike but sincere in their questioning, he wondered if he could ask Akashi to take a photo with him. By the tree. Like all the couples.

But he pushed the thought aside just as soon as it had formed, and he was urging Akashi to leave before the idea could fester in his mind for too long.

“Don’t worry about it, let’s go!”

* * *

Furihata never had much luck whenever it came to romance. He’d had a few girlfriends before – one in his last year of high school, and the other two in college, but the relationships didn’t last long, and he’d always felt like something was curiously missing when he was with his partners. Maybe it was the whimsical part of him that would get overly invested whenever he read a romance novel. He wanted a love that was similar to those stories, the all-encompassing kind where you’d spend your days and nights thinking about one person. In comparison, his own romantic experiences felt colourless and superficial.

So he’d never been in love before, was what Furihata deduced. But he definitely had his fair share of crushes. In fact, he was all too familiar with the way his heart would drum a little quicker when his feelings towards someone grew from friendly to something much more complicated.

He thought of this as his eyes caught Akashi in the zen garden of the courtyard, red hair impossible to miss under the afternoon sunlight. Furihata could see him so clearly through the windows of the first floor. He was sitting on one of the cement benches by the pond, posture as perfect as ever, a coffee cup from his favourite café nestled in his hands. It had snowed earlier that day so there was a pristine layer of white under his feet, a contrast to the long black coat he was wearing.

The zen garden was already a spectacle in itself, but it all seemed to pale in comparison to Akashi, like a mere background for the actual art piece. With his striking red tresses and milky, white skin, he looked like a painting to Furihata. And he couldn’t take his eyes off him.

His breath hitched when he realized he’d never seen someone so beautiful before.

But having a crush on Akashi – _his boss_ – was absurd, right?

_Right?_

* * *

“Furi, my man! Look at you, all corporate!” Kawahara was swatting the tie around Furihata’s neck with one hand as he raised a glass of beer with the other. He took a long swig, foam from the beverage gathering at the corners of his lips. “This guy’s wearing a tie! Like a real big shot!”

“Um, you do know I’m just a personal assistant, right?” Furihata uttered across their table. He wasn’t sure that his friend had heard him though. It was a Thursday night, but their favourite bar was a little more packed than usual. He could barely hear himself over the music and loud voices from the booths around them.

“Yeah, but you’re _Akashi Seijuurou’s_ assistant,” said Fukuda, emphatically. “I’ve seen that guy on TV! He’s like crazy rich, isn’t he? I bet he owns half the country.”

“That’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Furihata rebuked, although he wasn’t sure how much he believed himself. He thought back to the personal sauna in Akashi’s condo but decided not to mention it to his high school friends. “Anyways, what are you guys doing for Christmas? It’s only a few weeks away.”

“You still get excited about that stuff, Furi?” Fukuda grinned after chugging his own beer with hefty gulps. “You never change, dude. Always so sentimental.”

“Well that’s why the ladies love him,” Kawahara was wiggling his brows. Furihata knew from countless nights drinking together that he’d passed tipsy and was teetering on drunk now.

“I don’t think that’s true,” a frown marred his face. “I’ve only dated like, half the amount of girls you two have.”

“Sure it is, you just never notice when they’re throwing themselves at you. Or maybe you do, but you choose to ignore it,” Fukuda shrugged. “You’re too hung up on finding the _right person_ , so you miss out on a bunch of opportunities.”

“Um, is that a bad thing?”

“I don’t know – when was your last relationship again?” Even if he didn’t know it was a rhetorical question, Furihata wasn’t about to answer.

He finished off his beer just as Fukuda called a waitress over to order another pitcher. It was several drinks later when he began to feel his head spin and he buried his face in the cave of his folded arms.

_The right person?_

Was it so wrong to hold out for that?

Well it was true he was already 28 years old and just as single as he was when he graduated high school. And it’s not like he knew who the “right person” was, or even what he was looking for. These things didn’t exactly come with flashing arrows and signs to make it obvious to you, that everything you’d ever wanted and hoped for had finally shown up at your doorstep.

But Furihata didn’t want _opportunities –_ he wanted the real thing.

As he felt the alcohol warming his insides, Furihata wondered what Akashi was doing at that moment. The sounds of Fukuda and Kawahara raving over some online game became muffled background noise and his eyelids felt heavy under intoxication. Thoughts of red hair touched by gentle snowfall, and red eyes that shone even after sundown swarmed his inebriated mind until he finally gave into sleep.

When Furihata arrived at work the next day he was cursing himself for the hangover he was fighting a losing battle against. His forehead made contact with his desk as soon as he sat down and he unmindfully let out a disgruntled sound.

“Furihata-kun, are you alright?”

His head snapped up when he heard the voice and he immediately winced at the throb between his temples, “Oh, uh, good morning, Akashi-san.”

Akashi was folding his arms but there was an amused look on his face, “Eventful night, I assume?”

“Just had one too many beers,” Furihata chuckled in an attempt to make light. Though he was aware that he wasn’t fooling anyone, much less Akashi.

He was still succumbing to a crippling headache when he returned from his lunch break later, only to find a couple bottles of _ukon no chikara_ – a hangover remedy – by his laptop. There was a post-it note tucked underneath them; on it, the scribbled words in fine, black ink: “Hope this helps.”

He recognized the elegant handwriting. Instinctively, Furihata looked over to Akashi’s office. The president was seated at his desk, scrawling notes here and there on a large document, a fancy black pen in his hand. He didn’t look up from the papers.

Furihata downed one of the small bottles and peeled the post-it off his work surface, re-reading it several times before he stowed it away in his drawer.

* * *

_Merry Christmas, Akashi-san. I hope you’re enjoying your day off…_

Furihata strained his eyes at the words he’d typed on his phone before promptly erasing them. Hunched over his balcony railing with the device in his hand, he couldn’t suppress the jitters that ran through his legs as he restarted the text message.

_Akashi-san, if you have a moment, I want to talk about last night…_

A frustrated groan erupted from his mouth and he erased the words once again. It was hopeless. No matter how many times he futilely tapped at the screen, he couldn’t push himself to actually send a message. He didn’t know how to articulate exactly what he wanted to say to Akashi, and thinking of his possible reaction deterred him even more. But how could he lay out his intentions in a text, when he could barely make sense of what happened between them at the Christmas Eve party?

To be honest, he was still confused, and in the moments when his mind betrayed him, summoning the memory of Akashi snubbing him in the zen garden, the dread that had loomed over his holiday celebrations would pool inside him again.

_“If you didn’t have such an incessant need to please everyone, then maybe you’d actually say no to a drink, or learn to shake off some girl who’s been all over you the entire night.”_

His mind dredged up the words once more and the dip in his stomach elicited a sigh. Whether he meant them or not, there was a severity in the way Akashi had spoken that stung to recall.

Still, Furihata knew Akashi hadn’t meant to hurt him. As soon as the remark had slipped, he looked as if he regretted it right away. And after working so closely with him for months now, Furihata wanted to believe he understood Akashi on more than just a surface level – general consensus aside, he wasn’t perfect. He was human, and flawed, and when he’d said all that to Furihata, he must’ve had his reasons.

“Kouki, come have some strawberry shortcake!” his mother shouted from the kitchen.

“Coming!”

Every so often, as if to torment himself further, Furihata remembered the two of them in the dark office, and he dwelled on the feeling of Akashi’s hands on him. He’d been so spellbound at the time, that when Akashi’s gaze swallowed him up with those brilliant reds, he was afraid he’d let it all tumble out of his mouth – that he was falling hard for him.

* * *

“Furihata-kun, I like you. Actually, I think my feelings surpass that, but this is all quite new to me and…”

He was smiling, and he could tell by how his cheeks felt taut, that it was a wide, unabashed smile. He didn’t care how goofy he must’ve looked at that moment, wayward bangs messy from slumber and that unrelenting smile spreading from ear to ear, because Akashi was here before him, confirming what he’d hoped to be true all this time.

Akashi was falling in love with him, too.

“I like you, too.” It didn’t feel like it was enough to simply say that. But he wasn’t sure he could put it into words yet, how much Akashi meant to him. Just to be safe he added, “Like, _a lot_.”

When Akashi kissed him, Furihata thought, _this is it_. All the wishes that burrowed into his heart when he read those fanciful romance novels amounted to _this_. He’d been searching for that connection all this time, and what had always seemed to be just slightly out of reach was finally within grasp now – here, on the balcony of his apartment, on an early December morning.

Everything he’d wished for, he found it all in Akashi, and he knew at once by the way he held him so close, so assuredly in his arms.

Furihata tightened his own grip, wanting to deepen the kiss that was already making him feel light-headed. He didn’t want the moment to pass. He’d waited his whole life for it, after all.

* * *

Being in love with Akashi Seijuurou was one thing. Dating him was something else entirely.

“Aka – ” Furihata paused to correct himself. He was still getting used to dropping formalities when they were outside of work, “Seijuurou…”

“Yes, Kouki?” he felt an affectionate squeeze of his hand as the red head regarded him.

Furihata bit his lower lip, eyes flicking over both shoulders to take in the empty seats around them. “When you said we were going to see a musical, I thought you meant like, a regular scheduled show or something,” he scowled, his voice coming out a harsh whisper now, “I didn’t think you were going to rent the entire theatre for us!”

With the glow from the stage lights, Furihata was able to see the smirk on his boyfriend’s face, “I thought you’d be more comfortable if it was just the two of us.”

“Yeah, but I kind of feel bad. It’s like hiring the actors to perform for _just us._ ”

Akashi raised a brow. His silence was implicit.

“Oh my god, you hired the actors to perform for just us.”

“Yes, so I do hope you enjoy the production, Kouki,” Akashi held Furihata’s hand up to his face and laid a soft kiss on it. Furihata could feel his stomach doing flips – he always felt flustered whenever Akashi did that, no matter how many times it’d happen before. It was the way his little gestures showed so much love and care.

Even though he was still uneasy with how expensive this date was turning out to be, he decided to let himself appreciate Akashi’s efforts. He didn’t want to seem ungrateful. Akashi had chosen this musical because it was based on Furihata’s favourite book, after all. He realized that must’ve been why he was pulling out all the stops.

“Let’s head out for dinner once the show is over,” Akashi declared once Furihata had finally settled comfortably in his seat.

“Oh, sure. What were you thinking of having?”

“Is Korean alright with you?”

“Yeah, that sounds great! Kawahara and I actually found the best spot for kalbi – ”

“You can take me there next time, Kouki,” Akashi interjected, his tone laced with endearment. “I have something else in mind for tonight.”

“Um, okay,” Furihata was all too familiar with that phrasing. He was being coy for a reason. “What is it?”

A couple hours later he had his answer when he was boarding the Akashi Enterprises’ private jet, ready to take off for their one night, roundtrip flight to Seoul. He could only groan in response to the smug look on Akashi’s face as he planted himself in the leather seat next to him. The brilliant smile that flashed his way was so handsome it made Furihata feel even more annoyed.

“Seijuurou!” he finally snapped.

“What’s wrong, Kouki?”

His head dropped to his hands as the plane surged across the runway, “Maybe you could give me a little warning before you decide to fly me out of the country!”

Akashi had pulled a bottle of red wine from seemingly nowhere and was pouring it into two glasses. When he passed the drink over he leaned as close as the adjoining chairs would allow, tilting his face into the crook of Furihata’s neck. His breath lingered on sensitive skin and it sent a shiver down his spine.

“But where’s the fun in that?”

* * *

Keeping their relationship a secret at work was proving to be a harder task than Furihata initially thought. Especially when his boyfriend was prone to sneaking kisses and subtle grazes of his hand whenever they were alone – and while Furihata didn’t hate the attention, he sometimes worried how many of those playful touches had truly gone unnoticed.

There were times Furihata found it hard to believe that the icy president he met when he first started at Akashi Enterprises was the same man who was powerless to control his carnal urges now. After sitting through an entire meeting with Akashi’s hand resting on his thigh under the table, Akashi had tried to reason that he could do nothing to stop the impulse – not when Furihata looked as good as he did in his new grey slacks.

The other issue was the growing suspicion he had that the department managers were beginning to clue into their relationship. And it was an uncomfortable encounter in the elevator with two of Akashi’s friends one day that sent the alarms in his head ringing.

“Ah, if it isn’t Furihatacchi!” Kise from Marketing greeted as he stepped into the lift. He’d never heard Kise use the nickname before. “Going to see Akashicchi now?”

“U-Um, yeah,” Furihata mumbled, too distracted by the other man shuffling into the elevator at the same time. Aomine, the Finance manager, was standing in between him and Kise now. From his towering height, the grin on his face looked more menacing than it probably was.

“We should grab a beer sometime,” he offered. “I’ve got a lot of questions for the guy who managed to tame the great lion.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Aominecchi,” Kise sneered. “If I know the president, he wouldn’t be too happy with you taking his _assistant_ any place where drinks are involved.”

“Eh? You’d think he’d loosen up now that he’s finally getting – ” Kise’s elbow connected with Aomine’s side and he grunted in pain before he could finish the sentence.

Grateful once the most awkward elevator ride of his life had ended, Furihata briskly searched the top floor for any familiar sighting of red hair. He eventually found Akashi sitting at a table in the break room, fingers looped on a mug of freshly brewed coffee. The second his eyes met Furihata’s, a hint of a grin appeared on his face.

“There you are, Furihata-kun,” he said, his voice too low and sultry to seem innocent.

Furihata turned his head to every corner of the room, checking for other presences. “Um, Sei,” he started once he’d made sure they were alone. “Did you tell your friends about us?”

“I did not,” Akashi responded, sounding serious this time. “We agreed we weren’t going to disclose our relationship to our co-workers, right?”

It didn’t sound like he was lying. But when Furihata thought back to the elevator ride, he sensed it was far too suspicious to ignore. “Are you sure you didn’t say anything?”

Akashi leaned back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other. He placed his coffee on the table and folded his arms over his chest, “Kouki, I gave you my word. Do you really think I’d take that lightly?”

“No, of course not,” Furihata relented. He should’ve known better – Akashi would never break a promise he made to him. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

The sound of heels against the floor echoed into the room, beckoning Furihata’s attention. He rounded back and spotted Momoi, who had frozen in her tracks at the sight of him with Akashi, “Whoops, I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“N-no…”

Despite his answer, she was quick to leave from where she came. Momoi was shaking her head, but there was something about her expression that showed no restraints to teasing, “I know you can’t keep your hands off him, Akashi-kun, but can you _try_ not to be too obvious around everyone else? At the very least, you can wait until you get to your office.”

Before the door could shut in her wake, Furihata was already leering at Akashi, “Sei…”

“Hm,” on the other hand, Akashi’s face was blank, impossible to read. “They are a perceptive bunch, I’ll give them that.”

_And whose fault is that?!_

Furihata sucked air through gritted teeth, desperate to keep his cool. There was no point reprimanding him now that their secret was already out. Even though he felt as if he’d die of embarrassment at that moment, complaining to Akashi wouldn’t magically erase the last five minutes of his life. He’d already resigned to the fact that he was doomed to more humiliating elevator rides from here on out.

Abandoning his resolve, Furihata turned on his heel and marched for the exit.

“Where are you going?”

“Lunch!”

“Wait, Kouki,” Akashi called out just as his hand landed on the door handle.

He paused, “What?”

“Before you leave, would you mind bringing some cream over?” He gestured to the refrigerator on Furihata’s left.

That was an odd request. Akashi normally drank his coffee black.

He heaved a sigh and retrieved the container from the fridge. With a few paces he was standing in front of Akashi now, stretching his arm to pass the cream to him. But when Akashi reached for it, his hand changed course, wrapping around Furihata’s tie instead and yanking him forward. Furihata was helpless as his face came down to Akashi’s level, where the red head left a deep and haunting kiss against his lips.

“Thank you, love.”

Furihata would’ve put up a fight – he really, really wanted to. If only his legs hadn’t turned into jelly the moment he felt Akashi’s tongue glide over his.

* * *

Furihata blinked at the high ceiling above him, steadying his breathing before stunningly white arms enclosed around him, bringing him into a tight embrace. He could hear Akashi’s rapid heartbeat as he lay his head against his chest, their exhausted bodies settled onto the silky bedsheets beneath them.

It was becoming clear to him now that he spent far more time at Akashi’s condo than his own home. But it wasn’t a surprising fact, since working together meant leaving the office together, and leaving together usually meant a hurried dash to the privacy of Akashi’s home, where their clothes never managed to stay on them past the door.

Akashi had his face buried in Furihata’s hair, and he was breathing him in as his heart began to calm.

“Stop it, I’m all sweaty,” Furihata protested, trying to break free but Akashi only held him tighter.

“You smell amazing.”

He didn’t know how Akashi did it, but he always said just the right thing to make Furihata’s blood run hot, reducing him to a blushing mess. “Th-thanks,” he said, a meager attempt at a reply.

Akashi pulled away and ran a gentle hand through Furihata’s hair, “Do you have to go home tonight? I only just got back from Taipei yesterday, and I was hoping to spend more time with you.”

“You were only gone for a week, Sei,” he couldn’t hide the chuckle when he spoke.

“Yes, a whole week without _you_.”

Furihata craned his neck to get a better look at his boyfriend. When he locked on his face, slightly flushed with small beads of sweat on his forehead, his heart seized. Akashi always looked so majestic – while he was making love to Furihata, and even after.

He scrambled to find his voice, “Did you really miss me that much?”

“Of course,” the red head pursed his lips, discontent written all over his face, “I don’t know why they insisted I go alone. Where is the harm in me bringing my personal assistant on a business trip?”

“Well, they said it was a matter of confidentiality.”

Akashi sighed and his arm flew to his nightstand, searching for his phone.

Furihata watched, perplexed. “What are you doing?”

“Sending instructions to Mayuzumi. I've decided to terminate the Taiwan partnership.”

“Sei!” He clambered over Akashi to snatch the phone out of his hand, successfully prying it from his grip before he tossed it to his side of the bed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

When Furihata peered down at the other man’s sullen expression, almost childlike in its indignation, he couldn’t hold back his laughter. He’d seen that face only a handful of times since he met Akashi, and it still made his heart swell with affection, knowing the almighty president was capable of unguarded moments like these.

And it was the thought of a future where he’d get to see even more expressions from Akashi, both old and new, that excited him more than anything. There were times when Furihata couldn’t help but wonder if this was really his life, and not just a very long dream. Dating his boss could be a whirlwind of surprises at times, and he’d come to learn that even someone as poised as Akashi could be compulsive, and even frustrating in his ways. But he was also warm, genuine, and devoted, and Furihata knew that these were all the parts that made Akashi Seijuurou who he was. And he loved every one of them.

“I’m glad you find this amusing, Kouki,” another sigh fell past Akashi’s lips, but at the sound of Furihata’s hearty chuckles, his demeanor softened into a smile. With a colour of mischief he spoke again, “Perhaps you didn’t miss me while I was away?”

Furihata’s laugh instantly died in his throat. He glowered at Akashi, taken aback that he’d even suggest that, “Of course I missed you!”

“Oh? Then why don’t I believe you?”

Still hovering over Akashi, Furihata let out a long exhale. Stirred by the haughty tone in the other man’s voice, he tilted forward to capture Akashi’s lips in his own. He could’ve sworn he heard Akashi draw a sharp breath and he reveled in the thought that he’d managed to surprise him. Brimming with confidence now, Furihata moved to straddle Akashi between his legs, and he felt him immediately react with stiffness against his thigh. The hands that ran up his sides felt hot on his bare skin as his tongue prodded for entry into Akashi’s mouth, swallowing the moan he drew out from him when he swiped inside. Furihata broke away for only a moment to trail kisses up Akashi’s jaw, stopping at his ear to whisper:

“Then I’ll show you how much I missed you.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I’m so sorry to leave off on that steamy note, but I thought turning this into a smut fic might take away from the narrative I wanted to tell here, which is basically that Furihata is a SOFT BOI who just wants to find true love. And who better with than Akashi. :)
> 
> Also the fact that canon Akashi has not one, but two food dislikes (wakame and pickled ginger) is one of my favourite things about him. Why is he so cute.


End file.
